South struck gold on this deal from a pairs tournament. He could not have found a more suitable
dummy if he selected the cards. Unfortunately, a card that he held proved to be a distraction.

The defenders started with winning two club tricks, and East shifted to a spade, won in the
closed hand. Dummy was entered with a trump to the eight, and declarer took a losing diamond
finesse. West continued with a spade to the king. Declarer cashed the ace of diamonds, re-entered
dummy with a trump and ruffed a diamond high. When the suit did not break, the contract failed.Had
declarer not been tempted by the diamond finesse, the game could have been brought home. After
winning the third trick, declarer should cash the ace of diamonds and continue with the queen. West
wins and perseveres with spades. Declarer wins with the king, crosses to dummy with a trump and
ruffs a diamond high. He returns to the table with a trump and ruffs another diamond high, setting
up a long card in the suit. A heart to the jack is the entry to the board, and West’s remaining
trump is extracted. Declarer can now discard his spade loser on the long diamond and claim his
contract.